"And Donald Kayne?"
"He is here with two people—an old fisherman and his wife—our jailers. We are closely watched and guarded, for the old people believe you are crazy. He has told them so. But, dearie, don't lose heart. Now that you are getting well we will watch our chances to escape."
"And you know, Lizette, my husband will be searching for us. He will be sure to come here. Love will show him the way."
"You forget that he thinks you were drowned that night, when the great waves washed us off the deck of his yacht."
"Yes, I forgot," sobbed Nita, with raining tears. "Oh, my darling, I shall never see you again!"
And for a few moments she wept in uncontrollable despair. Lizette, although almost heart-broken herself, tried to soothe her, and she began to catch at little straws of hope.
"Cannot we bribe those old people to let us escape? Oh, Lizette, I would give them my whole chest of gold for liberty!" she cried.
"Alas! I have already tried them, and failed. Kayne has them completely under his control. You will never get free unless you tell him that secret he wants to know. Oh, my dear young lady, do tell him—do tell him! for he wants to know so badly, and surely it cannot matter to you."
"Oh, Lizette, Lizette, you do not know—you cannot dream——"
Suddenly there came to her a wild temptation. Miser Farnham was dead. Captain Van Hise had told her so. What if she broke the oath of silence whose keeping was about to wreck her life? She need not fear his vengeance.